This series is designed to help people to understand modern technology, and become more confident in using computing devices. It is not designed to educate experts.
The author is involved in tutoring older students at SeniorNet, a New Zealand wide organisation. SeniorNet hopes that students will feel more confident in using their computing devices as a result of the learning opportunities offered. This series of articles shares that hope.
Today I’m going to give you two gifts that you will long thank me for. The donor is Google.
Firstly, I’m going to give you back your ability to travel. Since the advent of the WuFlu many people have found their ability to visit overseas severely curtailed.
Secondly, I’m going to give you culture. We all know the old joke, there is more culture in a Petri dish than [insert place name]. It will no longer apply to you after today’s article.
Google Arts and Culture
Google Arts & Culture (formerly Google Art Project) is an online platform through which the public can view high-resolution images and videos of artworks and cultural artefacts from partner cultural organisations throughout the world.
The digital platform utilises high-resolution image technology that enables the public to virtually tour partner organisation collections and galleries and explore the artworks’ physical and contextual information. The platform includes advanced search capabilities and educational tools,
That’s what Wikipedia says about this.
Let’s just jump right in by visiting the Google Arts & Culture site. This is your starting place to visit museums and galleries all over the world.
Instead of me trying to describe how to use the site, this YouTube tutorial says it better.
You can use the three stripe menu (known as a hamburger menu) as described in the video to go to the various sections:
- Collections
- Themes
- Experiments
- Artists
- Mediums
- Art Movements
- Historical events
- Historical figures
- Places
I would draw your attention to Places. You can use this link, or the search icon (the magnifying glass) in the upper right of the screen to search for New Zealand. You will find that there are three partner organisations in NZ.
- Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki
- Te Papa
- Auckland War Memorial Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira
There are others in this list which I assume were picked up by the search because there is a New Zealand reference in an artwork in their collections.
Once you find an artwork that interests you use the magnification available to examine it in intimate details. For example, here is a close up of the most famous cleavage in the art world. Scroll down for more information on this painting and artist.
And here is the same subject by a different artist.
Mona Lisa, by Ambroise Dubois
This artwork, which I find not nearly as crisp as the better known painting is in the Castle of Clos Lucé, France.
I am particularly interested in some of the Chinese artworks from the time before this fine country was infested by socialists. You could spend a lifetime enjoying some of these objects.
early Chinese ceramics – 420 items
Detail from Ritual water vessel
Qing dynasty (1644-1911), Reign of the Qianlong emperor (1736-1795)
Chinese paintings – 25,960 items
I did say you could spend a lifetime in this site.
So, what are you waiting for? The world is your oyster, and it won’t cost you a cent. No risk of catching Delhi belly, and all from the comfort of your favourite armchair. I will leave you to explore, but if you run into a problem leave me a comment.
And with some of the thousands of dollars I’ve saved you on fares, make sure you subscribe to The BFD site, to unlock more of the fantastic content, and remove the advertising, though I’m sure if you have read this far you are both cultured and wise enough to have already subscribed.
Potential Bonus Hint: You can project these artworks onto your big screen TV for an even more in depth viewing. Tell me in the comments if you are interested in an article on this.
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